poly_chromatic | action // video

[Chekov is, to put it mildly, alarmed to find the bridge of the Enterprise replaced by the City--the fountain, specifically. As startling as the abrupt change of scenery is, there are, as far as the young navigator is concerned, worse places to find oneself than in a fountain. The shallow water feels good after hours--he can't even begin to guess at how many hours--spent running around in the bowels of a beleaguered ship, issuing orders and trying to nurse failing systems along.

There's no time to enjoy the surprise reprieve. It takes several moments for his City memories to hit and several more for them to fall back into place but, once they do, Chekov has the presence of mind to remove the gold tunic that marks him as a Starfleet officer. Harrison is here. The captain had warned them against making themselves targets.

The captain. Captain Kirk, who's alive here...

Chekov, wet curls plastered to his forehead and stripped down to his black undershirt, clambers out of the fountain and disposes of his gold shirt. He fingers his hair into some semblance of order and fumbles for his waterlogged communicator.]

[video]

He--? [Audio and video distort and give way to static. After some minor adjustments, they return. Chekov doesn't look all that different than he did prior to his disappearance (thanks to the City's temporal isolation from other universes, he's actually a few months younger than he was over a week ago, if sturdier), but recent events have given him a somewhat haggard countenance.] Hello? This is En--Pavel Chekov. I realize that very little time has passed--relatively speaking, I mean--but I must ask: Who is here still?

[Starfleet people, that's directed primarily at you.

And, hesitantly:] Has anyone fed my dog?

[ooc: Action or video! Chekov is back in the City and updated to the not-quite-end of Into Darkness (immediately after San Francisco getting smashed up and Spock beaming down). I tried to steer clear of major spoilers here, but I make no promises for the comments.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Unfortunately, his love life is the least of his concerns. Failing warp cores, dying crew members, and dead captains are at the forefront of his mind.

That doesn't mean he's pleased.]

I will be. [And, less bluntly:] Are you doing well? I was told that there were pirates.

[ Lucy presses her lips together, hesitating. ]

I'm sorry. I probably should have waited to discuss this with you later.

[ She takes a short, sharp breath. ] I stayed inside. [ She hasn't answered the 'doing well' comment and she's not sure if she should or not. ] Totally not doing well either.

[ because she might be breaking up with him, but she loves him. the last thing she wants is for him to think this is easy for her or that it doesn't hurt. ]

[Yes, she should have waited. Saying so would be counterproductive and, as much as he doesn't want to care about how she feels (she's breaking up with him after she left first!), he doesn't want to upset her. Upset her more.]

Good--that you stayed in, not that you aren't well.

Right.

[ Awkward pause. ]

I guess I'll...let you go.

[ wow those words hurt to say. ]

[They hurt to hear. This shouldn't be happening; it doesn't make sense.]

You can talk to me still, Lucy. If you need something.

[ She bites her bottom lip against a sob. ]

I can't because then I'm going to want you to hold me and then I'm going to want you back in my life and then the City will know we're happy again and they'll make sure to tear us apart. That's how it works, Pavel.

That's--Lucy. Is it easier if you do this yourself? Make us unhappy? Is that simpler than waiting for the City to do it?

[ she's pretty much just got tears streaming down her face now, which is why she didn't choose video. ]

I don't know! I've never done this before. I just know that the City takes everyone I love away from me so the obvious solution is to stop loving people. This is the first step to that. If I don't--if we aren't together, then you'll get to stay and at least...it's better having you here then it is not having you here, even if I don't get to keep you.

[He considers not answering. Nothing he says will change her mind, and if she's so intent on leaving, he should just let her.

But he doesn't want that.]

I would rather love you and have you leave again than stop loving you.

[ She's more susceptible to having her mind changed than he might think. ]

I'm sorry I left you.

[ She says it very quietly, her voice still trembling a bit. ]

You came back.

I always come back. I think it's because the city knows I don't want to be home with Daddy gone.

But you want to be alone in the City?

I don't ever want to be alone, Pavel, but I always end up that way.

Maybe, yes, but you don't need to be alone now.

[ She's very quiet for a long moment. When she finally speaks, she sounds worn out.]

I'm a horrible girlfriend. I'm selfish. This is the just tip of the iceberg when it comes to my issues and you just got back from home and I...attacked you.

I'm sorry.

You are upset. It's... understandable.

[He's careful not to voice forgiveness, however. Chekov adores Lucy, he does, and it would be simplest just to say that everything is fine even if it's not, but he doesn't have the patience for this right now. If Lucy keeps waffling, he might say something that he'll regret.]

May we discuss this later, Lucy?

Yeah. It's probably better anyway. Go home. Feel better. We'll talk sometime.

[ it gives them both a chance to think about what they want. ]

Soon. We will talk soon.

Okay. Thank you